Job Description

The role of Finance Manager is key to us delivering on our strategic commercial ambitions and will provide an opportunity for the right candidate to excel and deepen the breadth of their skills and knowledge. It includes core elements of business partnering, reporting and planning, managing and improving systems, managing a team of finance specialists and contributing to improving the overall financial performance of our business. You will have key roles in implementing business initiatives through working on selected internal projects.

The successful applicant will have strong interpersonal skills and will have experience of challenging and supporting the business to achieve ambitious growth plans. You will have experience of managing people and have a track record in delivering value to the business

The role will be responsible for:

• Business Planning and Analysis – take a lead on working with Finance and the Group team to prepare business plans, forecasts, ‘what if’ analysis, risk planning, budget planning and ad hoc analysis throughout the financial planning cycle, periodic reforecasts, consolidated financial results
• Actively manage the Balance Sheets for the group, ensuring regular reviews are conducted and appropriate action taken
• Departmental Performance - responsible for financial reporting & control to budget holders and identify issues and take action based on financial performance
• People Management – develop and support a team of finance specialists to achieve team outcomes
• Relationship Management – build relationships with business managers and with Central Finance to deliver key financial targets
• Audits – manage the annual external audit process
• Manage compliance of UK and international VAT & Tax in conjunction with Central Finance
• Controls – to develop and implement sound financial controls appropriate for the size and scale of the organization, ensuring compliance with mandatory control standards.
• Supplier management – to negotiate and manage the relationship with outsourced providers and other key suppliers within the procurement framework.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Is a part-qualified or qualified Accountant (ACCA, CIMA)
• Has experience of leading and working in a multi-national/global team environment
• Has the confidence and experience of working closely with, challenging and supporting, Senior Business Leaders
• Has experience in the preparation of consolidated management accounts and associated commentary
• Is detailed conscious and is able to communicate the big picture
• Has experience of working on Business Process Improvement activities
• Is ambitious and wants to further their experience in a global organisation
• Working knowledge of French
• Has experience of working in a Learning & Development environment and/or professional services company
• Experience of Pegasus Opera and One Stream
• Technical accounting skills and knowledge gained through qualifications and work experience
• Advanced MS Excel, Intermediate MS Word, Outlook and PowerPoint
• Strong IT and Systems skills
• Commercial acumen
• Communication Skills – written and spoken
• Judgment- ability to draw sound conclusions from data
• Business Awareness- understanding of the commercial running of a business and ability to apply business/commercial understanding when interpreting data and working with business/relationship managers
• Interpersonal skills/empathy- ability to build relationships quickly and to change/modify behaviour depending on the stakeholder and circumstances
• Influencing – Strong influencing and good level of verbal communication skills
• Focus on quality – High work standards, and ability and willingness to work to demanding timetables to achieve tasks and to complete work to deadlines
• Energy and enthusiasm – positive ‘can do’ attitude
• Self-motivated and able to work on own initiative
• Team player
• Open-minded and keen to learn
• Motivating, supporting and developing teams